(A/N:Thank you for all of the reviews! Ireally appreciate it. This is probably one of my favorite chapters so far along with chapter five, it really gets into every characters conflict, really. And things happen between some characters that you'd never expect. So read it! And review it pleaase.)

Chapter Six: Speak For Myself

Halloween was her favorite holiday.

He remembered the first time he took her trick-or-treating; it was sort of a punishment his parents gave him after playfully putting her in the garbage can. She was three, he was eleven. He remembered how her eyes sparkled as she put on her fairy costume and was in awe at the amount of candy people gave to the bigger kids. Michael remembered her saying the following words, 'Michael, promise me you'll take me trick-or-treating every year?" Michael nodded, 'I promise'. But the next year he was sent off to PCA, and he never went trick-or-treating with his little sister ever again.

She had called him earlier that day, sounding as if she'd been crying for a long time. Her words were all smashed and slurred together, 'MICHAEL!' He remembered the sound of her sputtering, 'Michael! The doctors won't – they won't let me go trick-or-treating!' He could imagine her with tears rolling down her puffy cheeks; he could imagine her response when the doctors told her she wasn't allowed to go out. He could imagine so many things but he couldn't see them.

He needed to see them.

His decision had come to him slightly after he hung up after his conversation with her. It wasn't fair that he could spend his Halloween at PCA with his friends, having a great time when his little sister (who loved the holiday more than him) was cooped up in the hospital. It just wasn't fair.

Wasn't there the "make a wish" foundation?

Michael didn't think it was fair how the doctors were treating her, a six year old girl, sick with leukemia was having to deal with all of this unfairness didn't seem right to Michael, and he wanted to go down there and give the doctors a piece of his mind.

So he started packing. Right after he got out of his classes. Logan and Chase were out doing something and Michael thought it would be the perfect time to do it, and to avoid questioning. He began stuffing things into his suitcase, one by one at first, and then thinking about his sister's situation he put more things in his suitcase at a time, the faster he could come back home, the happier his sister would be.

He began to pack in bulk.

And just as he was zipping up his suitcase, Nicole walked into his dorm room with a bag of candy in her hand. She was sucking on a lollipop and eyeing Michael suspiciously, there was something in her eye that was almost skeptical. Skeptical of what Michael was doing with a packed suitcase. Worried about what Michael was doing with a packed suitcase. She took her lollipop out of her mouth and observed Michael's dorm, everything belonging to him was nowhere to be found and she crossed her arms firmly at her chest, glaring at Michael.

"What are you doing?" She asked coolly, "You can't leave. The dance is tonight and – and the dorm advisors won't let you go. What are you thinking?" She let out an exasperated sigh and crossed her eyes over in Michael's direction.

"I have to go back to Chicago", Michael chose his words carefully, "I – I have to go see her. She's not doing too well and I'm worried". Michael closed his eyes tightly, trying to hold back tears, "She's having a bad day – and to top all of that off, the doctors won't let her go trick-or-treating". Michael sat down on his bed and rubbed his hands together.

Nicole walked towards him and sat down next to him, "Well duh", she said softly, "Your sister's sickly. And trick-or-treating isn't a big deal. It happens every year". Nicole gently placed her hand on Michael's knee.

"It's a big deal to Lizzy", Michael stood up, "What if she doesn't live until next year Nicole? What if she dies? This has been her favorite holiday since the day she was born, and, and it doesn't make sense to me why they can't figure something out, why they can't make her situation better".

"Oh, and so you think leaving PCA will make things better?"

"Exactly", Michael breathed, "She wants me there. She needs me there".

"What about your parents?"

"They don't want me missing school", Michael looked down, "But she's my sister".

"I know it's hard…"

"No, Nicole you don't know. You don't know how I'm feeling right now".

"I would if you just opened your mouth for a few seconds!"

"I can't", Michael's voice softened, "I don't want to talk about this to anyone except for her".

Nicole swallowed, hard, "Then what do you want from me?"

Michael fell silent.

"A kiss? A hug?" Nicole asked, "Michael, I don't want to be seen and not heard".

"And I don't want my sister to die", Michael grabbed his suitcase, "But we don't always get what we want".

"MICHAEL!" Nicole ran in front of him, "You can't go. The DA's won't let you, you're parents don't want you to leave school. Just wait until next month, and during Thanksgiving/Christmas break you can be there and – and they'll all want you there".

"What if she doesn't live until then?" Michael croaked and dropped his suitcase, "I need to see her before she dies…"

"I know you do", Nicole wrapped her arms around him, "But look at Logan, he didn't get to see his grandmother before she died, and it's still okay. I promise, it'll be okay".

"God", Michael whispered, "This isn't fair".

"Life's not fair Michael, life's so fucking unfair", Nicole bit her bottom lip and rested her head on Michael's chest.

And that's how they stood. Nicole, with her arms wrapped around Michael's waist, her head resting on his chest. And Michael, with his head resting on Nicole's his eyes lightly closed. And he didn't cry, that was until the words 'trick-or-treat' were heard from a nearby dorm room and then Michael let a crystal tear drop fall from his eye and into Nicole's hair.

"Sorry", he whispered.

"Don't be", Nicole whispered back, "Don't be sorry".

Michael sighed, and closed his eyes. That was the first time he'd ever cried at PCA. And she'd been there to see it.

She wasn't like Zoey at all. She was obsessed with fashion magazines, nail polish, and she strongly hated basketball. Her favorite color was red, and hated Mr. Bender's computer class with a fiery passion deep inside her heart. She sounds awesome right? Psh. Bump that, Zoey was the only person on Chase's mind at the Halloween dance. Kelly had been off talking to some of her friends when Chase bumped into Zoey at the punch table. She smiled at him and handed him a glass.

"You're manning the punch table?" Chase asked.

Zoey nodded, "Yep. It's the unglamorous side of not having a date. Not that I wanted one…"

"Well, having a date isn't too glamorous".

"You lie".

"No", Chase shook his head, "It kind of sucks actually".

"Are you sure it isn't the dates fault?"

"Well Kelly is sort of…"

"I was talking about you", Zoey laughed, "But now that you brought up Kelly I'd like to hear about it".

"She's great", Chase nodded.

"But?"

"She's kind of clothes obsessed".

"Well duh", Zoey handed a random person a glass of punch, "She's a girl. You should've thought of that before you started dating one".

"I should've. Stupid me".

Zoey laughed.

"No, but really. Kelly's awesome. I think the two of you would get along great", Chase lied as he took a sip of his punch, "By the way where's Nicole?"

"With Michael. They've been totally inseparable since they started dating".

"I noticed. Same with Logan and Dana".

"And you and Kelly", Zoey pursed her lips together, "But it's cool, I like being alone…"

"I sort of miss it".

"You're lying!" Zoey grinned, "Really?"

"Yeah", I didn't have to make sure my colors were coordinating when I went to a dance. I didn't have to…"

"Chase! There you are!" Kelly walked over to him and over dramatically put her hands around his waist, "Aw, you got me punch".

"Actually…"

Kelly ignored him, "Isn't he the sweetest Zoey?"

"Yep", she faked a smile, "He's the sweetest".

Chase rolled his eyes, and Zoey let out a giggle.

"What's so funny?" Kelly asked.

"Oh, nothing. Except for the fact that I'd love to dance with you".

"Of course", Kelly grinned and looked over at Zoey.

Chase set his glass of punch on the table and whispered to Zoey, "You're lucky".

Zoey shook her head and watched as Chase and Kelly made their way to the dance floor. It was nice of Chase to still make friendly conversation with Zoey even though his girlfriend had some serious attachment issues. She watched Kelly put her arms around Chase's shoulders and Chase place his around her hips. They were dancing to some slow song, one of Zoey's favorites. They looked so happy together, Kelly couldn't stop putting her mouth to Chase's ear to tell him something and vice-versa, they were the ultimate couple.

"I don't like you talking to her", Kelly whispered to Chase, "It makes me look bad".

'Yeah right' Chase thought, 'You don't need me to look bad'. When Kelly wasn't looking he turned his head to Zoey who was looking at him as well, he rolled his eyes as sort of an inside joke and watched as Zoey smiled.

The Halloween dance wasn't really her scene, and Dylan understood. They were sitting in her dorm room watching some old black and white Halloween movie. She and him were sitting relatively close to each other, well closer than her and Mark had ever been. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulders and her head was lying on his lap, his hand was softly stroking her hair. This is amazing, Quinn thought, this is so amazing. Her experiences with the fairer sex had been limited and now she was actually, she was really getting close with one. She didn't know what else would make this moment greater. Until Dylan brought it up.

"You have beautiful hair", Dylan murmured, "It's so soft…"

"Thank you", Quinn whispered, blushing. Compliments weren't something she usually got.

"Quinn", Dylan lowered his head and kissed her softly on the lips. The kiss Dylan had given her was nothing like the one she had laid on Mark. This one had meant something more, it was perfect, it was natural.

Quinn blushed again.

"Quinn, I really like you", Dylan whispered.

Quinn nodded, "I really like you too Dylan".

"You're so beautiful Quinn".

This time a tear leaked from Quinn's eye, "Do you mean it?"

"Of course I mean it".

Dylan lowered his head again and kissed Quinn, this time with more force, Quinn opened her eyes and pulled away.

"You didn't like it?" Dylan liked, self conscious now.

"No, I liked it", Quinn let out a staggering breath, "I really liked it".

"Good", Dylan kissed her, and adjusted his body, this time he was on top of her and Quinn was fully aware of the situation, she was fully aware of what could happen.

"Do you want to?" Dylan asked.

"I don't know…" Quinn looked away, "I see the things on the news, and – and we're young".

"I want to remember this forever", Dylan kissed Quinn again, "I want to remember you forever".

"Me too", Quinn slurred.

"So why not? Curfew is extended for tonight".

Quinn wasn't sure of a legitimate answer. Yeah, why not? She wondered to herself, Why not? Quinn nodded to herself and looked at Dylan.

"I don't know".

Dylan gave her a blank stare.

"I think – I know I want to", Quinn swallowed her words, "Let's do it".

And with the events that happened that night, Quinn wasn't thinking about love, she wasn't think about how she loved Dylan, although she should've. She wasn't thinking about how beautiful the moment was, even though to her it wasn't. She was thinking about 'why not?' She was thinking about she was shedding her image from the year before, she thought she was growing up. And even a voice inside of her was saying, 'What the hell are you thinking Quinn? You've only known this guy for two days. This so isn't you. You don't do these sort of things. You're too smart for this Quinn. But the sad thing is, even smart people can act stupid.

And that's exactly what she did.

Logan and Dana held hands all through the Halloween dance. They weren't dancing, the music was light-years beyond lame, so they were with Zoey at the punch table. Serving punch to the idiots who were dancing to the Frankenstein music. Logan had been back for about a week and was glad to be away from his dad. He was happy to be away from the gloomy vibe at his house, and PCA welcomed him with more than open arms. But there was still a little bit of sorrow drooping inside Logan and it was eating him up inside.

"Hey you guys, I'm going to the bathroom", Zoey sighed, "I'll be back in a sec".

Dana and Logan both nodded and watched as Zoey walked off. Logan slid his arms behind Dana and placed them on her hips, she turned around and he gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Logan…" Dana blushed, "Dean Rivers is right there".

"I know", Logan replied.

Dana laughed and gave Logan a kiss, "That's it Reese".

"Aw look at the cute couple!" Brent Bailey walked up to Dana and Logan.

Dana crossed her arms, "Do you want some punch?"

"Elementary drinks aren't really my scene".

"Then what do you drink?" Dana asked.

Brent Bailey pointed to his knapsack, "Vodka. I was just wondering if you guys wanted to come down to the beach, we're having a real party".

"I'd rather put my head up a donkeys ass", Dana rolled her eyes.

"What about you Reese?" Brent jingled his knapsack.

"I…"

"He's not going either", Dana spoke for him, "He's not stupid".

Logan nodded.

"Suit yourself", Brent walked away.

Zoey walked back to the punch table and turned to Logan and Dana, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing", Dana pointed to Brent, "Except him".

"Anything interesting?"

"He's a waste of air", Dana replied.

Zoey laughed.

"I'm gonna be heading out", Logan kissed Dana on the cheek, "I'm not um – feeling too well. Bye Dana. Zoey".

Dana gave Logan a hug, "Feel better".

"Yeah", Logan walked out of the gym. He walked towards the beach, somehow Brent's offer had sounded tempting. The dance was lame, and a party on the beach would be pretty fun. How Brent Bailey got a handle on vodka was a mystery to Logan and he wasn't about to ask questions, he was just about to drink. Go to a party, have a good time. Without his girlfriend.

"Hey", Logan walked up to Brent.

Brent laughed, "Whoa. I thought your girlfriend had you whipped".

"My girlfriend doesn't have anything. Where's the vodka?"

Brent laughed and shook his head, "I can't believe it".

"Just give me the vodka".

Brent shrugged and threw Logan a bottle, "Go all out Reese".

Reese popped the top and put a swing of vodka in his mouth, the taste was strong but refreshing. It melted his pain away, it melted away his father, his grandmother, even Dana. And the more he drank the more everything melted. Dana couldn't speak for him, Logan was doing his own damn thing and was going to get into his own messes. Dana couldn't speak for him. And Logan was more than glad.

(A/N: Yes Quinn DID loose her virginity to Dylan. Shocking right? And that's not even the end of of. Ooh. I said to much. MY BAD! Lol. I'd love reviews. )